Crucible support



Patented Jan. 14, 1941 PATENT OFFICE CRUCIBLE SUPPORT Raymond D. York,University, Va., assignor to Raymond D. York, as trustee Originalapplication December 16, 1938, Serial No.

246,235. Divided and this application September 1, 1939, Serial No.293,111

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a crucible support, and more particularly to aportable Crucible tongs mechanism, and is a division of my copendingapplication Serial No. 246,235, filed December 16,

In my copending application I have disclosed a Crucible support having asupporting structure adapted to extend transversely over the top of acrucible furnace and having depending tongs engageable with the Crucibleto lift it from the furnace whereby the metal may be poured therefrom.The tongs device forms the subject matter of my Copending applicationand comprises a pair of tong arms at least one of which is movablyConnected to the transverse supporting member and has novel meansassociated therewith for Clamping it into engagement with a Crucible inthe furnace. The mechanism is intended to be used in Connection withrelatively small crucibles which are capable of being manually removedfrom the furnace.

An important object of the present mechanism is to provide a handlestructure for a crucible tong mechanism which facilitates the handlingof the device in gripping a crucible, removing it from the furnace andpouring the metal therefrom.

A further object is to provide a device of this Character wherein thehandle structure is so related to the other elements of the mechanism asto render it extremely easy yto manually tilt the crucible to pour metaltherefrom.

A further object is to provide a pair of handles at opposite ends of thedevice, connected to the support which extends across the furnace,

and depending substantially below the support so that the manual liftingforce is applied slightly above the Center of gravity of the supportingdevice and the crucible whereby the crucible may be readily removed fromthe furnace and carried to the pouring point without any tendency totilt, and wherein the arrangement of the handles with respect to thecenter of gravity permits the tilting of the crucible with minimumeffort.

A further object is to provide a device of the character referred towherein the handles of each pair are spread apart a substantial distanceto afford leverage in the tilting of the crucible to facilitate thepouring operation with little manual effort.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the drawing I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In thisshowing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the mechanism in operativeengagement with a crucible located in a furnace,

Figure 2 is a plain view of the mechanism shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 5 of Figure 1, y

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a part of the mechanism.

Referring'to Figure 1, the numeral I0 indicates a furnace having acrucible II supported therein on a pedestal I2. The numeral I3 indicatesthe mechanism as a Whole by which the crucible II may be manuallytransported, the mechanism I3 l5 being shown in operative position forthe removal of the crucible II from the furnace.

The mechanism I3 comprises a supporting structure I4 having spacedparallel bars I5 and I6, rigidly fastened to transverse plates I'I andI8 20 located at opposite ends thereof. 'I'he plates I'I and I8 depend asubstantial distance below the bars I5 and I6 and each is provided witha pair of handles I9 secured adjacent the lower edge thereof.

Gripping members 20 and 2I are provided and have gripping surfaces whichare engageable with the surface of the crucible II for supporting thesame. A pair of brackets 22 and 23 are respectively secured to the barsI5 and I6 and cooperate 30 therewith to support the gripping member 20.Likewise,a pair of brackets 24 and 25 are rigidly secured to the membersI5 and I6 respectively and these brackets support the gripping member2l.

The gripping member 25 is rigidly secured to the supporting structure I4by two fastening members 26 and 2I as best shown in Figure 3. Thegripping member 2| is pivotally supported with respect to the supportingstructure I4 by 40 a pivot p in 28 extending through the lower ends ofthe brackets 24 and 25 as shown in Figure 4.

A resilient bar 29 is secured at one end to the upper end 3U of themember 2I and is used as a lever arm for forcibly moving the member 2|45 about its pivot 28 toward the gripping member 20 to securely clampthe gripping members against a crucible arranged therebetween.

Plates 3I and 32 are secured to and project upwardly above the bars I5and I6 respectively 50 and are located in such a position that the bar29 will occupy a position between the plates 3I and 32 when the grippingmembers 20 and 2I are in engagement with a crucible. The plate 32 has aplurality of openings 33 formed therein which 55 edge of the CrucibleIl.

l handles liilocated as shown in Figure 1.

are respectively in alignment with similar openings 34 formed in theplate 3l. With the gripping members il and 2l in clamping engagementwith the Crucible II and the member 29 positioned between the plates 3land 32, a pin 35 may be passed through aligned openings 33 and 34 in theplates 32 and fv-I, respectively, above the bar 29 to lock the latter inoperative position. The bar 29, being resilient, will be sprungdownwardly by the application of force after initial engagement of thegripping member 2I with the Crucible Il and it will be obvious that theresilience of the member 2li, tending to restore it to the positionshown in dotted lines in Figure 1, will be prevented from swingingupwardly by the locking pin 35 thereby holding the member 2| in tightengagement with the Crucible I I.

The gripping surfaces of the members 2t and 2| are shaped to Conform tothe Crucible to be engaged and supported thereby and different sizes maybe provided for different sized crucibles. In order that the grippingsurfaces of the members 20 and 2l will be properly positioned withrespect to the sides of the Crucible, it is desirable to provideadjustable means for positioning the gripping members 2d and 2l withrespect to the crucible. This is accomplished by an adjustable platemember Eil which is engageable with the top of the Crucible il. Theplate 3E isiprovided with upright members 38 and 33 Carried therebywhich are slide-bie in guides i@ and fil secured by suitable fasteningdevices to the bars I and I6. Set screws l2 and it are provided foradjustably positioning the members 38 and 39 in the guides lll and il inorder that the plate 3@ will be properly positioned with respect to thegripping members 2S and 2l. A similar arrangement for positioning thegripping members with respect to the top of the Crucible is shown in mycopending application filed September 27, 1938, Serial No. 232,005.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The members St and 39 are adjusted to place the platev 36 at a properposition relative to the gripping members 2li and 2! in order that thegripping members will be placed at a proper position with respect to theside of the Crucible to engage thereagainst. The mechanism I3 is thenlowered until the plate St Contacts the upper The mechanism I3 isplacedin a position with the immovable gripping member 2li inenga-gement with one side of the Crucible I I, whereupon the movablegripping member 2l is moved about its pivot 2S toward and intoengagement with the other side of theI cru- Cible. A downward pressureis applied to the free end ofthe resilient member 29' to force thegripping member ZI into tight engagement with the side of the Crucible.will Cause a deformation of the resilient member 29 from the dotted lineposition to the solid line position in Figure l. rl`he locking pin it isthen inserted through a pair of aligned openings 33 and34, the members33 and 3! respectively,

. immediately above the resilient member or lever 29. The locking pin 35will retain the member 29 in its deformed position and the Crucible IIwill thereby be securely clamped between the Crucible gripping members2Q and' I.

The Crucible I l may then be removed from the furnace by operators whowill grasp the handles IQ and lift the mechanism I3 and thereby removethe Crucible II'from the furnace.

A decided advantage is secured by having the By hav- Such downwardpressure.

ing the-handles located in a common plane substantially lower than thesupporting frame I4, such plane maybe located just above the Center ofgravity of the combined mechanism I3 and Crucible II. This arrangementwill enable the operators to tilt the Crucible supported by themechanism I3 to pour molten metal therefrom with a minimum of effort. Inorder to tilt the Crucible to pour metal therefrom, it will only benecessary for the operators to apply slightly more force to the handleslocated at one side of the parallel members I5 and I6 than is applied tothe handles I9 located at the other side thereof.

Particular attention is invited to the fact that the handles I9 Cf eachpair are arranged a substantial distance .apart and the horizontal planeofthe handles is preferably slightly above the center of gravity of theCrucible and its contents, and the supporting mechanism as a whole. Thisrelative arrangement of thelhandles is important for two reasons. Thecenter of gravity of the assembly being slightly below the handles It,two operators can lift the Crucible from the furnace and transport` itto the pouring point without any tendency of the Crucible to tilt andspill metal therefrom. The arrangement of the handles near thehorizontal plane of the center of gravity and the spacing of the handlesof each pair a substantial distance from each other provides the twooperators with adequate leverage whereby the movement of the handlesnecessary to tilt the Crucible to pour metal therefrom may beaccomplished with little manual effort.

When it is desired to release the Crucible from the mechanism, it merelyis necessary for an operator to exert a downward force on the free endof the bar 2:9 to relieve the pressure thereof from the pin This pinthen may be easily withdrawn, whereupon the bar 29 is free to moveupwardly to release the gripping member ZI from the Crucible. IIhus themechanism will be free to be moved vupwardly wholly out of engagementwith the Crucible.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided a simpleand inexpensive apparatus for removing a Crucible Containing moltenmetal from a furnace. In addition to providing mechanism which greatlysimplifies the removal of a Crucible from a furnace, I have alsoprovided mechanism which will enable the metal to be poured from theCrucible with a minimum of effort.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example ofi the same and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope ofthe subjoined Claims.

I claim:

l. In a mechanism for engaging and supporting a Crucible, a horizontalsupporting structure formed of va. pair of spaced parallel members, apair of Crucible gripping devices carried by said structure anddepending therefrom, said devices having their upper end portionsarranged betweenv said parallel members, plates Connecting said parallelmembers at each end of said supporting structure, and a pair of handlescarried by each plate and projecting outwardly therefrom, said handlesbeing arranged in a common horizontal plane slightly above the center ofgravity of said supporting structure, said Crucible engaging devices andthe Crucible.

2. In a mechanism for engaging and supporting a crucible, a supportingstructure elongated horizontally and adapted to extend over the top of afurnace and a crucible therein, a pair of crucible gripping membersengageable against the sides of a. crucible intermediate the top andbottom thereof and at diametrically opposite points, said members beingconnected to said supporting structure and depending therefrom, andbeing constructed and arranged to extend downwardly into the furnace onopposite sides of the crucible therein, means operable from above thefurnace for moving said crucible gripping members into clampingengagement with said crucible, and means located substantially below thelevel of said supporting structure furnishing a manual grip for liftingsaid mechanism and the crucible supported thereby.

3. In a mechanism for engaging and supporting a crucible, a supportingstructure elongated horizontally and adapted to extend over the top of afurnace and a crucible therein, a pair of crucible gripping membersengageable against the sides of a crucible intermediate the top andbottom thereof and at diametrically opposite points, said members beingconnected to said supporting structure and depending therefrom, andkbeing constructed and arranged to extend downwardly into the furnace onopposite sides of the crucible therein, means operable from above thefurnace for moving said crucible gripping members into clampingengagement with said crucible, and handles connected to said supportingstructure on opposite sides of and horizontally spaced from saidgripping members furnishing manual grips for lifting said mechanism andthe crucible supported thereby, said handles being located in ahorizontal plane passing adjacent the center of gravity of saidmechanism and the crucible supported thereby.

4. In a mechanism for engaging and supporting a crucible, an elongatedhorizontal supporting structure having a pair of crucible grippingdevices equidistantly spaced on opposite sides of the center of thelength thereof and depending therefrom for gripping engagement withopposite sides of a crucible intermediate the top and bottom thereof,and means for transporting said structure comprising handle devicesfixed with respect to the ends of said supporting structure and arrangedapproximately in the horizontal plane of the center of gravity of saidsupporting structure and the crucible supported thereby.

5. In a mechanism for engaging and supporting a crucible, a horizontallyelongated supporting structure, a pair of crucible gripping devices atleast one of which is pivotally connected to said supporting structure,said gripping devices depending from said supporting structure andhaving gripping elements at their lower ends engageable against oppositesides of a crucible intermediate the top and bottom thereof, means foreffecting relative gripping engagement of said elements against thecrucible, and means for transporting said structure comprising handledevices arranged slightly above the center of gravity of the mechanismand the crucible supported thereby, and means rigidly` fixing saidhandles with respect to the ends of said supporting structure, said lastnamed means being spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter ofthe furnace which receives said crucible.

6. In a mechanism for engaging and supporting a crucible, a horizontalsupporting structure formed of a pair of spaced parallel members, a pairof crucible gripping devices carried by said structure and dependingtherefrom, said devices having their upper end portions arranged betweensaid parallel members, rigid means connecting said parallel members ateach end of said supporting structure and depending therefrom, andhandle means carried by the depending portions of said rigid means atopposite ends of said supporting structure and projecting outwardly fromsaid rigid means, said handle means being arranged in a commonhorizontal plane slightly above the center of gravity of the mechanismand of the crucible supported thereby. y

RAYMOND D. YORK.

